Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song
by a whale of a tale
Summary: Set a couple years down the road- the Castle family grows with the birth of their firstborn. Lots of fluff, family and romance. {Kate Beckett may not believe in ghosts, or zombies, or Bigfoot, but she believed in this...}
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi! Thanks for stumbling upon my little story. It's my first addition to the fanfic universe, so I apologize in advance for any hiccups along the way.

I'm obsessed with the idea of a little Castle family sometime in the future, so here's my idea of how it might turn out. I'm not sure how it will all play out- I envision it with some continuity of chapters and other random one-shots thrown in as well. There's a chance I might include some flashbacks or flash forwards, so I'll include a date at the beginning if that's the case. I included one in this chapter as well, to give you an idea of where it all begins.

Thanks in advance for the read and feedback! {Title borrowed from Matt Hires' brilliant song}

Disclaimer: I wish I was cool enough to own Castle...

/

Tuesday, June 16th, 2015.

After packing up their bags and saying their goodbyes and thank yous to the hospital staff, the Castles were finally alone with their new baby boy. Kate climbed into the back and clicked Henry's car seat into place, sitting beside him ready to soothe and protect on his first car ride. She could barely keep her eyes off his tiny features, still having trouble believing that this was real, instead of a cheesy, perfect dream. He was beautiful, charming, tiny. He was _hers. _No, even more so, he was _theirs._

As he started the car, Castle turned around from the front seat of their Range Rover with the biggest smile on his face. A rush of memories flooded through her system as Kate revisited times she had seen that smile: when she said yes, when he had seen her coming down the aisle on their wedding day, when she had told him she was pregnant, and yesterday, when their baby was born. It was the smile he saved for those he loved; for extraordinary moments even the author lacked words to describe. Now, he graced her with it one more time, as she settled in to take their son home to the loft.

"Are my two favorite people ready to go?" He smiled, again, and reached out to run his thumb down their baby's silky cheek. Damnit, Kate thought to herself. If he keeps that up, she'll never make it to six weeks without ripping his clothes off.

She settled for a quick kiss on the lips and leaned over to whisper a quick _I love you_ in his ear. She lingered for a minute to breathe in his familiar scent but a squeak from the car seat had her quickly returning her gaze to her baby boy and kissing him too.

"Hi, my sweet boy." She said softly. "I love you too. Always and forever." One more kiss and a sweep of his baby soft wisps of hair and then she told Castle to take them home already.

"Sorry, Henry. Mama is always this bossy, I'm afraid."

"Castle... Don't forget about my "raging hormones."" Kate warned. It had been his favorite phrase for months now.

"I'm just kidding, of course. Mommy is beautiful and extremely intelligent and captivating and incredible and she's never, ever bossy." He winked at her and turned around to put the car in gear. "Let's go home."

Kate leaned against the window and watched for a brief minute as familiar scenes passed by. The park where she'd learn to ride her bike, the coffee shop she and Castle frequented most Sunday mornings, the bookstore where she first met the love of her life- it was almost like watching a slow-motion montage of her past. But now, as she took in her habitual surroundings, a different clip began to play. The park where Henry would first pedal a two-wheeler, the coffee shop she and Castle would push the stroller to for Sunday brunch, and the bookstore where she'd introduce her son to his parents shared love of literature.

Now that Henry was here, everything would be different. Normally, such drastic change would scare the hell out of Kate, but the natural way she was settling into motherhood was one of the best things she had ever experienced. The only thing that made it better was doing it side by side with her partner, who couldn't stop glancing into his rearview mirror to check out his wife and son.

"Eyes on the road, Castle." Kate said sternly, but with a hint of a smile. "Precious cargo."

He nodded sheepishly, turning his eyes back to the road, and spent the rest of the ride daydreaming, as well. Like Kate, he had taken this route so many times before, and so he drove on autopilot, using most of his brain cells to try and figure out how the hell he got so lucky. It's no secret that his first two marriages were complete failures, and the only good thing that came out of either was Alexis. He'd spent the last two decades raising her by himself, and even though it was the greatest time of his life, he hadn't noticed the void he'd been nursing until Kate filled it. As cheesy as it sounded, she was the puzzle piece he didn't know he'd been missing. He silently chuckled to himself as he imagined what Kate would say to that. She'd probably poke him in the chest and roll her eyes, but he knew on the inside she'd agree. Life was so much better together.

Kate sat in the back watching her baby boy sleep in his carseat. She'd picked it out- it was a simple red and grey, and it easily transferred between cars, strollers, and arms. Kate Beckett was a woman of no fuss, and she made sure to buy the seat that operated without any difficulty. Henry was snuggled in comfortably, and she adjusted the straps yet again, making sure he was buckled in just so.

After checking his forehead to make sure he wasn't overheating in the car- it was a surprisingly hot day for the middle of June- she studied his features for what was probably the hundredth time. Long and skinny with brown hair like Kate, but paired with his father's bright blue eyes, which were stunning even at a day old, little Henry was the perfect mix of Castle and herself. She was already noticing the mannerisms they both contributed as well. He took after his mother's sharp senses, and when he was awake, he took in everything around him with a concentrated brow. But he was a cuddler like Castle, and would much rather be held than anything else.

From the day she'd seen the plus sign on the stick in the bathroom, she'd imagined what he'd be like. Now that he was here, he was a riddle she got to spend the rest of her life figuring out. Her detective skills and observational techniques would not be put to waste raising her son; in fact, she had a sneaking suspicion he would make chasing suspects look both simple and boring at times. She loved her job, but she already loved him so much more.

Smiling at the thought, she brushed his hair back from his forehead and traced her finger down his nose and over his lips. His mouth opened up naturally and she let him suck on her finger for a couple minutes.

Soon, they were pulling into the parking garage. Castle parked the car, and ran to her side to pull open the door before she could do it herself. He smiled when he saw her fast asleep with her head tilted towards Henry, and wondered what she'd been thinking about when she dozed off.

Since he knew she was exhausted, but wouldn't admit to it, he decided to give her a couple extra minutes of sleep and take up the bags they'd accumulated at the hospital.

Once he got upstairs, he took a few minutes to arrange everything just so. He pulled the bassinet into the bedroom next to Kate's side of the bed, and laid out a couple receiving blankets on top of the boppy pillow Jenny swore would make breastfeeding so much easier. Next, he filled a random basket with some cold water bottles and the trail mix Kate had been obsessed with for the past month. Finally, he grabbed the "push present" he'd picked out for her the day they found out she was pregnant- a simple heart-shaped necklace with Henry's thumbprint and initials. (He'd had his partner in crime- Alexis- sneak out and have the print engraved the day before.) Of course, he'd paired it with a ring made up of diamonds and their baby's birthstone, always one to go overboard. He was pretty proud of the gifts- together they were the perfect combination of the pair. The necklace was understated, just like Beckett. The thumbprint accented the gift flawlessly, given that fingerprints were such a vital part of her career. The ring was stunning and completely over the top, just like Rick. He had thought about giving the presents to her at the hospital, but she hated opening his gifts in public (something about flaunting his wealth and/or hating the attention.)

Satisfied, he rode the elevator downstairs to his sleeping family. They were still passed out when he got there, and he snapped a quick photo on his phone before kissing Kate softly on the forehead.

"Kate, sweetheart, we're home." He whispered into her ear. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him with his favorite Beckett smile- the one she wore still a little drunk on sleep and dreams, the one he knew was only for him.

"Hey, Castle." She said huskily, a little out of breath, and leaned into kiss his jawline, then softly on the lips. "We're home."

Henry squeaked beside her, almost as if he too had realized they were home. Kate leaned over to unbuckle him and pull him into her arms. He snuggled in, sucking on the sharp edge of her clavicle in anticipation of the feeding he knew would be coming soon.

Castle helped the two of them out and grabbed the car seat, then his wife's hand, and led them upstairs. The elevator ride was silent, but comfortably so, as the reality of parenthood continued to set it.

Once outside the loft, Rick paused to unlock the door and grin at Kate. "Guess what?" he whispered in her ear, so as not to wake the sleeping baby.

"Mmm?" she responded, still half asleep.

"It's our first time bringing a baby home together."

Kate smiled in reply, letting the wave of emotion run over her. The last time she was at the loft, she had a baby inside of her, kicking to get out. Now, that same baby was in her arms, fast asleep and breathing heavily. She looked at Castle, and kissed him slowly on the lips, murmuring a thank you into the gesture. She quickly memorized the moment, cataloguing it deep in her mind.

Kate Beckett may not believe in ghosts, or zombies, or Bigfoot, but she believed in this: her own personal fairy tale, with blank pages to be filled with dreams and laughter and memories for as long as she would live.

Once upon a time...

/

Thoughts? :)


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, I was blown away with all the reviews and favorites and follows, etc from the first chapter! I honestly thought no one would even see it, so thanks for making my day! I have some fun ideas for some future chapters, so hopefully I'll be updating fairly frequently. Cheers!

Warning: lotso fluff. They won't be all this fluffy, I promise. Unless you're into that sort of thing :)

Disclaimer- Henry is all mine, but the rest, sadly, belong to the Haus of Marlowe

/

The Castles fell into bed immediately upon entering the loft. At first, they lay cuddled together- Castle on his back with one arm stretched around Kate and Henry stuffed between them. He traced circles on her forearm while she breathed in the mixture of his cologne and the brand new smell of baby. After a few minutes, Kate shifted onto her stomach, Castle mimicking her movement, so they were both staring at their sleeping son. The room was completely silent as they watched the rise and fall of the baby's chest.

"I could never get tired of this," Kate murmured. "He's perfect."

Castle agreed and added, "Can you believe he's ours? We created a human being, Kate. A human being! Obviously, I know how this works- I already went through it once with Alexis- but there are still moments that strike out of nowhere. Alexis turned out so well, smart and beautiful, that it doesn't seem possible she's mine. And Henry is so tiny and already so spectacular... I'm speechless."

Kate laughed at the thought of her writer not having the words, but was interrupted by the ringing phone. Castle groaned and got up to answer it in the kitchen, returning a few minutes later to find Kate still vigilantly watching Henry.

"Hey hon, I hate to do this, but the everyone is dying to see Henry again, so it looks like we'll have to share him for a little while," Castle said, clearly torn between wanting to stay in their little cocoon, just the three of them, but yet thrilled to show off their bundle of joy.

"When?" Kate asked.

"Well, that was Javi; he said that he and Lanie would be over around 5ish, which is in an hour. Alexis texted and said she and Mother would be over around then as well, and I'm assuming Ryan, Jenny and Connor won't be far behind. You sure you're up for visitors?"

"Yeah, as long as they don't stay for hours. I have a feeling our sleep tonight will be choppy at best, so I'd like to get to bed a little early."

"Of course, I'll kick them out around 8ish, earlier if you give me a signal. I was thinking we could order in Thai food?"

"Oh Castle, you read my mind. I'm really in the mood for some pineapple fried rice."

"Thai it is, then." Castle leaned in to kiss Kate on the forehead, and then Henry as well, who squirmed under the movement. "Mind if I jump in the shower really quickly?" he asked.

"Not at all, I have to feed Henry anyways." Kate said with a smile. Even though breastfeeding was still a little bumpy this early on, she was already loving the tender moment with her son.

Castle stripped into his boxers- he was wearing the ones that had "Big Daddy" on the butt in honor of his renewed status as a father- and walked into the bathroom to run the water. Kate chuckled as she saw his outfit; she'd given them to him as a Valentine's Day present long before a baby was in the picture.

Henry let out a quick squeak interrupting her thoughts. "Hey, sweetheart," Kate whispered. "You hungry, baby boy?" She tossed off her shirt- no need for modesty in the comfort of their bedroom- and pulled him into her arms. They were both still getting the hang of it, but Henry attached pretty quickly after a minute of rooting around and getting settled. He reached out for a strand of her hair as they locked eyes. This was Kate's favorite part of breastfeeding- looking down at her sweet boy as he stared back without pause or deviation. His blue eyes were crystal clear, reaching right into the core of her being. She stroked through his soft hair and traced her finger over each of his tiny features. After a minute or two, she closed her eyes and leaned back into the headboard, continuing to rub rhythmic circles on his back.

A little later, she felt the the bed shift as her husband slid in next to her. She opened her eyes to smile at him and saw him holding a tiny bag in his hand. She looked at him with a puzzled expression, waiting for an explanation, her attention peaked.

"Didn't think I'd forgotten to get you a push present, did you?" Castle smirked.

"What the heck is a push present?"

"Don't tell me you haven't heard of it! All husbands- well, at least the good ones- get their wives a present as thanks and congratulations for being a total badass and pushing out a baby," he replied, smiling now.

"You really didn't have to do that."

"Yes, but I wanted to," Rick said earnestly. "Open it!" Castle loved giving gifts- he was like a kid on Christmas morning whenever he bought her something special.

Henry was done nursing so Kate traded the baby for the present. Castle cradled Henry's tiny head in his huge hands and shifted him onto his shoulder to burp him while Kate pulled out the tissue paper. As she opened the two gifts (one necklace with Henry's thumbprint and initials, and the other a diamond ring with Henry's birthstone), she started to tear up. _Damn those pregnancy hormones,_ she thought to herself. "Oh my god, Castle, they're beautiful. How did you even think of these?"

"Easy," he responded with a grin. "One night, before we were even trying to have a baby, I was writing in my study and I got bored so I decided to do a little online shopping."

"You are SUCH a girl," Kate interrupted.

"I was buying a new lightsaber!" He interjected, insulted.

"Alright, let me rephrase. You are SUCH a little kid."

"Whatever Kate, two hours later you weren't complaining the other night when I fu-"

"CASTLE! You are holding our newborn, watch your mouth."

"Sorry babe," he chuckled, "but so I was shopping and I googled crime-themed gifts, because duh, and I found the necklace. It was a perfect compliment to the Caskett family!" He exclaimed.

"I really do love it, Rick. The ring is gorgeous as well." She murmured, watching him cradle Henry against his chest.

"A beautiful ring for a beautiful woman," he whispered as he leaned in to kiss his wife.

"I love you, Rick," Kate said, emotion oozing out of every word. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. For believing in me, in us, in our family. For giving me a home, a son, a world. For making me laugh and smile and be whole again. For being you, and encouraging me to be _me._"

"Same to you, Kate. I didn't know what I was missing until you arrested me. I love you, too, sweetheart."

The doorbell interrupted their conversation, and Castle stole one more kiss before running to get it. "They're here!" He exclaimed, and slid across the hardwood, Risky Business style, to let in whoever had arrived first. To his surprise, he opened the door to a horde of family members and friends.

Alexis and Martha stepped in first, both kissing him on the cheek. Javi and Lanie followed- Lanie with a hug and Espo with a spirited high-five. Finally, Kevin and Jenny wandered in. Ryan had Connor slung over his shoulder, fast asleep, and Jenny carried some sort of casserole. Leave it to the Ryans to never show up empty-handed.

"What, did you all carpool?" Castle joked.

"Nah, bro," Javi replied, "We all ran into each other in the lobby and rode up together."

"How you doing, Daddy?" Jenny asked.

"Honestly? I'm on cloud nine. The fatigue hasn't set in yet, and I'm infatuated with my beautiful wife and brand-new son."

"Speaking of those two, where is your other half and my darling grandson?" Martha interrupted. She was head over heels in love with her newest successor, and had already offered to babysit as much as possible. Castle was somewhat glad she no longer lived with them, because otherwise he'd never get a chance to hold Henry.

"Right here!" Kate said, coming out of the bedroom. She'd changed into a pair of leggings and a loose grey t-shirt, and Henry was wearing a cozy blue sleeper.

Everyone swooned at the baby and swarmed the new mother to get a better look.

"He's absolutely stunning, girl," Lanie said, and everyone nodded in agreement. After a few minutes of fussing over Henry's tiny fingers and toes, the gang moved out of the entryway and settled into the family room.

After putting away everyone's coats and making sure everyone had a drink, Castle ordered a boatload of Thai food. Henry was passed around from person to person as the conversation flowed from baby clothes to strollers to co-sleeping and so on.

Kevin and Jenny's son woke up somewhere in the middle of the conversation, and for a moment, the attention was shifted from the baby to the toddler. Connor Ryan was 18 months old, and captured the heart of nearly everyone he met. The skinny, blond toddler was loud and boisterous (a typical Irishman), but was also extremely compassionate and gentle. He was fascinated by Henry, and spent a great deal of time staring at him and (gently) prodding and poking the tiny swaddled creature.

After asking, ever so nicely, to "pweez hol da new Henee", Jenny set him in the corner of the couch and lowered the baby into his little arms. Kate shoved a pillow next to him to support Henry's head, and Castle retrieved the nice camera to snap a few photos of the precious moment. Connor rubbed Henry's head and whispered adorably into the baby's ear, but the highlight was when he leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the forehead and said, seriously and a little bit in awe, "I wuv you babee Henee."

As Kate watched the scene unfold, she realized how lucky she was to have such awesome friends and family. When she started at the twelfth, she would have never imagined her coworkers would become her best friends, and their children would grow up inseparable. She _really_ never would have guessed that the cocky guy who insisted on following her around would end up being her best friend, partner, and husband. She wondered what the Beckett from six years ago would have thought had she been allowed a glimpse of her future. Kate assumed she would have been baffled, and a little ashamed in herself for falling so deeply into domesticity, and frankly, going soft.

But now that she was here, in this moment, she knew that she wouldn't want to be anywhere else. The old Kate existed in her work, under the constant shadow of her mother's murder. She lived in a fortress protected by steel iron and brick walls. Her relationships were superficial and merely to satisfy her carnal needs.

But now, she was a part of something so much bigger: a family. Esposito and Ryan had become like siblings, and her father was finally acting like a parent again. She had sisters in Lanie and Jenny, and a nephew in Connor. She had a daughter in Alexis, and most of all, she had the love of her life in Rick. And now, she had her own flesh and blood squirming in front of her: a perfect, handsome, swaddled baby boy.

She memorized the scene in front of her so she could catalogue it for later: Castle with his arm around her, laughing at something Esposito had said, Jenny holding a talkative Connor animatedly pointing at the baby, Lanie telling one of her latest stories from the morgue (someone had swallowed a whole goldfish!), Ryan making faces at Henry, and Alexis kissing her brother on the cheeks over and over again. The moment was one she never wanted to forget- both calm and crazy, sweet and hilarious, genuine and natural- the perfect blend of Kate's life.

Castle interrupted her thoughts when he leaned into her ear and whispered, "You okay, love?"

She kissed him softly, running her hands through his hair, and replied, "I've never been more okay in my life." He returned her smile and stole one more kiss, and then Kate was reaching out her arms for Henry, and the doorbell was ringing with the food delivery.

The hustle and bustle carried on for a few more hours, and when everyone had finally gone home for the night, the Castles collapsed one more time into bed, with warm hearts and satisfied smiles. Cheesy to some, but perfect to them, it was a night to be remembered.

/

Thoughts? I know, so much fluff. But honestly, I miss the show like crazy (all these sneak pics on twitter are driving me insane!) and fluff felt like the right way to deal with it :)


	3. Chapter 3

Wow, thanks again fro all the reviews, faves and follows- you guys are amazing.

I'm home sick today (ughhh) so it felt like the right time to update. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: A perfect get well present would be if Marlowe gave Castle to me... Too bad he doesn't know who I am. So no, still not mine.

/

Kate awoke in the middle of the night to a tiny whimper from beside her. She rolled over to check the time: midnight, right on schedule. Henry, so far, was eating about every two to three hours, although she fed him whenever he seemed at all hungry.

She pulled the baby into her arms to comfort him, and turned to glance at the man lying next to her. Castle was dead to the world; they'd both passed out around nine thirty after everyone left.

They'd agreed that they'd split night duty, but when all Henry wanted was her chest, it was hard to share the responsibility. He had insisted he'd get up with her anyways, but Kate internally chuckled when he said that, because she knew from personal experience that the man could sleep through an earthquake.

She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and leaned down to kiss him softly. Henry was pliant in her arms, sleepily rooting around and sucking on her shirt. She thought about feeding him in the bed, but decided against it, choosing instead to wander upstairs to his nursery, and settle down in the comfy rocking chair they'd purchased a couple of weeks ago.

She walked through the loft in complete silence and darkness, her feet finding the way without trouble. She stopped to grab a bottle of water; she was already feeling a little dehydrated from all the activity of the past few days and knew she had to stay on top of her fluids or she'd pay the price later when the adrenaline finally wore off and the exhaustion truly set in.

Henry's nursery was simply, but tastefully decorated. Castle had wanted to go all out- bright colors, fancy furniture, the works- but Kate had insisted that a baby would be much more comfortable in a serene environment. She had the idea to paint wide grey and white stripes across the walls, and then buy a simple white crib and matching changing table. The bedding was also in varying shades of grey and white, but accents of mint filled the room as well, to keep it from appearing too monotone.

Henry already a bookshelf filled with picture books, chapter books, and even a few novels. They'd began reading to her bump when it was barely noticeable, and they weren't planning on stopping anytime soon. If his parents had anything to do with it, Henry would be the most well-read kid in school.

The nursery had quickly become Kate's favorite area of the house: it was peaceful and inviting, warm and cozy. She'd spent so many hours inside it already: arranging the furniture, folding his little clothes, decorating the walls, and imagining her son in it. Now, he was here; it was finally complete. She still couldn't believe it.

Henry attached immediately and curled his body against her midsection, fisting his hand in her long, curly hair. "Good job, my sweet boy," she whispered, "you're getting so good at this."

She was just about to close her eyes and relax into rocking, when it caught her eye. She hadn't noticed it until now; Castle must have snuck it in when she wasn't looking.

He'd had a picture of her and her mother framed and hung it above the crib. It was taken on a random Christmas when Kate was about five; she was in her mother's arms and glancing at the tree with wide eyes. Her mom was looking at Kate, smiling and laughing. It was one of her favorite pictures, how had Castle known? She chastised herself for that immediately; of course he'd known, he, oftentimes, knew her better than she knew herself.

Her eyes filled with tears as she recalled the memory. She was so happy to be a mother, but she wished with all her might that she had her mom to share the joy with. Johanna would have been an amazing grandmother, and Henry would have grown up in awe of the passionate woman.

There had been so many times throughout the pregnancy Kate had wanted to call up her mom and ask her a question or tell her a story about the baby growing inside of her. How did Johanna cope with the morning sickness? Did she have any ideas for baby names? When Henry kicked for the first time, Kate envisioned the smile her mom would wear upon feeling it for the first time. She would have been over the moon to welcome in the new addition.

Kate had kept her emotions in check for the most part during her pregnancy; sure, she'd had her moments where she was in tears over something as silly as Castle not remembering to run the dishwasher or start the laundry, but most of the times when she cried over her mom, she did so in private. One morning, she'd come across one of her old ultrasound photos that Johanna had saved, and she spent the next hour in the shower, clutching her knees and rocking back and forth under the water with tears streaming down her face.

Another time, it struck her randomly early in the morning, and she'd slipped out of bed to run twelve miles and gain control over her senses.

In the hospital, she'd allowed herself a few tears when Henry was born: they were a mixture of joy and melancholy, happiness and grief. When Castle went home to change, she'd sat with her father as they both allowed the walls down for a few minutes as they imagined Johanna there with them.

But other than that, she'd either blocked the sadness or ran from it. She didn't expect tonight to be any different, and she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and took a deep breath.

She allowed herself one more look at the picture, and that's when the dam broke free. She hadn't noticed it at first glance, but the frame was engraved. Above the picture, a simple script read "_My Guardian Angel."_

It was such a simple gesture, and so typical of the man she loved. Of course he'd thought to include her mother in the nursery; of course he'd make sure that the first thing their baby saw every morning was his grandmother watching over him.

Staring at the photo, and then her wiggling love in her arms, Kate finally let herself mourn. Without even a pause, she had begun sobbing and shaking back and forth. The baby detached and starting whimpering again, so she pulled him in tighter and kissed him over and over. Finally, she placed him in his crib- the first time he'd set foot in it- and collapsed to the floor in a fit of grievance, panic, regret, and heartache.

...

Castle woke up in the middle of the night to a cold, empty bed. He was still pretty groggy, and had no idea what had jerked him out of sleep, until he heard it.

It was extremely quiet, and he had to really listen to decipher it, but the tiny sob coming from upstairs had him on his feet in milliseconds. Someone was clearly crying, and it wasn't Henry.

He raced up to the nursery, tripping on a pair of shoes along the way, and paused at the door when he saw his wife in the fetal position of the floor.

"Kate," he whispered, alarmed. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

She looked up to him, her eyes filled with tears and her body shaking, and dissolved back into sobs. He rushed to her side and pulled her into her arms. She attached to him like a child seeking comfort, and he picked her up without trouble and carried her to the rocking chair.

He rocked back and forth, rubbing her back, running his fingers through her hair, kissing her on the forehead- anything to soothe her, just like he did whenever Alexis had a nightmare. She continued, and he didn't press for details. He knew she'd tell him when he was ready.

After a few minutes, she started to calm down, although tears were still streaming quietly down her cheeks. He kissed some of the falling drops, tasting the salt, until he felt something jab into his stomach.

Until now, he hadn't noticed she'd been clutching something in her arms, but once he looked down at the mysterious object, everything clicked.

He pulled the frame out of her trembling hands, and set it on the ground.

"Oh, Kate, oh Katie," (he rarely called her Katie; it was a nickname reserved for her father for the most part, but occasionally when she was falling apart, it just slipped out), "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I should've shown you, but I just hung it a couple days ago and then you went into labor..." He drifted off, feeling terrible about the gesture.

"No, no, Rick, I love it. You are the sweetest man, and I love that about you," she kissed him on the cheek, and scrubbed her hand over her face. She couldn't imagine how terrible she must look.

"It's just," she continued, "it's just that I've been pretending that it's okay that my mom isn't here, and just trying to move on, but it doesn't any easier. Henry will never know his grandmother, and she'll never get to hold him or spoil him or love him like we do."

"Kate, I don't know if there's a heaven or an afterlife, but I know, without a doubt, that your mother is here with us in some way or another. Even though she can't be with us physically, she still loves our baby boy to the ends of eternity. You think your mother would want to miss out on this? Of course not. She's here, she's smiling, and she's so proud of you. Honey, you've come such a long way. Six years ago, you were a shell of a woman, hiding in your mother's murder and living a life strictly for the badge. But look at you now, babe, you're a strong, independent woman who kicks ass for a living, while still managing to be the best friend, wife, and mother. You're amazing, Kate."

Castle finished his speech, and pulled her face up to look at him. She was still crying, but the intensity had faded and her body was no longer shaking.

Instead, she was clutching to him, and letting his words resonate within her. One of the reasons she'd fallen in love with him was his words and the way they could instantly calm her down.

She slowly stopped crying as he kissed the pain away. The hurt of missing her mother was still there, and she knew it always would be, but having Castle at her side made her stronger, made her more resilient in the fight.

She laid in his arms, protected and safe for a while, until finally she fell asleep.

Castle thought about moving her to the bed, but decided against it. She was too fragile right now, and frankly, he liked having her curled against him. After pushing the curls back from her face, and running his fingers down her back, he joined her in slumber.

They awoke sometime in the middle of the night, and made their way back to the bed.

Castle stopped to pick up Henry, and kept his arm around Kate as they walked through the dark apartment.

He laid the sleeping baby between them, and Kate snuggled in against Castle, Henry squished between his parents.

She whispered an _I love you_ to her husband, who was already fast asleep again.

After a kiss on the baby's head, and one last thought of her mother for the night, her mind finally let go and her body relaxed.

She'd survived her first day home with the baby, and soon, she'd have survived the first night as well.

She _can_ do this. They _will_ do this.

Finally, she slept.

/

Thoughts? Also, this was my inspiration for the nursery. Yay for pinterest! ( . )


	4. Chapter 4

Hi! Anyone still there? Okay, so it's been a really long time since I updated this story. Sorry. Truth? I had a mind block and basically convinced myself that writing it was a waste of time. BUT, I have since changed my mind. I'm in the process of writing a novel and I realized that the more I practice writing, the better. So, I'm back, and I plan to post at least three chapters this week. Stay tuned for the end of this chapter too, because I'm starting a new fic as well, and I need your help! Thanks for joining me on this little escapade!

Henry was a week old, but it felt like he'd been a part of the Castle family forever. Both Kate and Rick were exhausted and sleep-deprived beyond belief, but parenthood suited them, and there wasn't a day they didn't wonder how they got so lucky.

Kate had taken three months maternity leave, and Castle had scaled back his publicity events and meetings, so the two of them spent nearly every minute together with their baby boy, who was already changing so much. Each day, he figured out a new facial expression, and for a skinny baby at birth, he was already starting to gain weight and fill out his newborn clothes.

He was a relatively easy baby, but he wanted to be held above anything else. He rarely cried, but if someone tried to put him down, he would scream and scream and SCREAM. However, the lovestruck parents were happy to oblige, and most hours of the day, Henry laid snug in their arms.

Today was Henry's first doctor's appointment, which would also be the Castle's first time outside as a family of three. The new parents were looking forward to escaping the loft for a few hours, and shaking off some of the cabin fever they'd accumulated being stuck in the loft.

Henry had been up crying most of the night, so both parents were fast asleep in their bed. Castle was on his stomach with one arm swung lazily over Kate's waist, who was curled up on her side clutching a pacifier in one hand and resting her other hand protectively on the baby in the bassinet beside her.

Henry began to whimper, and Kate immediately twitched at the sound. She sat up and rubbed her bleary eyes, scanning the room for the clock. It was 5:45 AM, which meant that Henry had barely been asleep for an hour.

"Shhh, Hen, I'm coming baby," she whispered to her son. "You need your sleep, little man! Why are you fighting it?" She pulled the baby into her arms and sidestepped her way out of the dark room. She thought about feeding him in the bed, but she wanted at least one parent to be somewhat rested, so she made her way to the study. Castle had gotten a lazy boy a couple months ago for his video games, and it was quickly turning into one of her favorite places to feed the baby.

Henry was starting to squeak and root for her breast through the thin cotton of the v-neck she had on, so she cradled him to one arm and slipped off the shirt. She settled into the chair, and waited for her son to latch on.

He quickly started to suck, and she felt his body relax as he settled in. They stayed that way until finally, they both fell back asleep snuggled up in the chair, with the whispers of sunrise falling over the room.

An hour later, Castle woke up and rolled over, seeking the warmth of his wife, but to his disappointment, finding the bed empty. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he walked to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and slipped on a t-shirt, and walked to the kitchen, in search of his family. Finding the room empty, he started the coffee, and cracked some eggs to scramble. He grabbed the baby monitor from the table, and clicked through the screens, looking for Kate and Henry.

He'd insisted on getting one of the fanciest baby monitors, which Kate had initially resisted, until he showed her that it could not only let them see and speak to the baby, but measure Henry's temperature and breathing as well, when he was in his crib. They'd set up three cameras throughout the loft: one in the nursery, one in their bedroom, and one in the study. Once Henry was no longer sleeping in their room, they planned to move the camera to the playroom.

Castle found his wife on the third screen, asleep with their baby on her lap. He watched their chests rise and fall with each breath, and content, returned the monitor to its charging station. He finished making breakfast, grabbed the newspaper from the doorway where their doorman had dropped it, and set the table.

Finally, he walked to the study and kissed his wife on the cheek, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as she slowly woke up. She stretched her arm over her head and flashed a sleepy smile in his direction, reaching up to pull him in for a deeper kiss.

The two rose as one, and Castle took the baby from Kate's arms. They ate their breakfast slowly, and read through the newspaper together, discussing the current events as usual. Afterwards, they got dressed, (Castle in bermuda shorts and a polo, Kate in a maxi skirt and loose tank top, and Henry in a blue striped onesie), and packed the diaper bag.

"For someone so small," Castle remarked, "Henry sure has a lot of stuff." It was true, the diaper bag was stuffed full of blankets, outfit changes, pacifiers, toys, wipes, and of course, diapers.

When they were all packed, Castle grabbed the stroller from the coat closet and Kate placed Henry in his car seat. They rode the elevator down to the underground garage, and loaded up the Range Rover with all their stuff. Kate clicked Henry into place in the middle seat, and climbed into the front seat next to Castle. She wiggled her fingers in his lap until he laced their hands together, and they drove to the doctor's office with the Black Key's playing in the background.

When they arrived, Kate started to feel nervous. Their baby, though growing at a steady rate, was still extremely skinny, and she was concerned that he wasn't gaining enough weight. Plus, there was still the issue of the constant crying unless he was held, and while that didn't bother the new parents, what if it bothered the doctor?

Castle sensed her anxiety, and pulled her tight against him. They walked arm in arm through the parking lot, as Rick cradled the car seat with his elbow. She signed them in, and they grabbed seats in the "well child" area. Kate watched a child with a coughing fit for a few moments, and made a mental note to sanitize everything when they got home.

The nurse called them back, and recorded all of Henry's vitals, reassuring Beckett that everything was as it should be. She left them with a few papers to fill out, and went to get the doctor.

Dr. Lily Andrews was one of the best in New York. She was consistently placed on lists of top doctors, and came well-recommended from Kate's OB-GYN. They'd met her twice before: once at a consult meeting a few months earlier, and once at the hospital when she came to check on newborn Henry.

She entered a few minutes later with a swift knock on the door, and entered with a huge smile. "Hi Castles!" She exclaimed, pausing to shake both Kate and Rick's hands. "How's little Henry doing?"

"Great," Kate smiled. "He is an awesome baby; we're so in love with him already." Rick nodded in agreement, and cradled Henry on his lap.

"I'm glad to hear that," Dr. Andrews said with a laugh. "It's always a bad sign when parents don't like their baby," she winked. "He looks great; he's growing just as he should be, and his stats are perfect. He's a skinny little dude- his height is reaching the 90th percentile, but his weight is clocking in at 30%. I know that sounds like a big difference, but it's completely normal, and looking at both of you, he seems to be taking after his parents."

"I don't know about me, but Kate is definitely a skinny beanpole," Castle joked, to which Kate rolled her eyes and thumped his ear.

"A beanpole, Castle? Really? There's gotta be better names you can call me," she winked at her husband, who swallowed roughly in response.

Kate laughed, and turned back to the doctor. "Does he need any shots?"

"Yes, unfortunately your smiley baby is gonna be hating me in about five minutes. He needs a quick hepatitis booster, so it shouldn't bee too bad, but don't be concerned if he's a little more lethargic than usual today; it's just the vaccine working its way through his system. Do you guys have any other questions before I go get Cindy to do the shot?"

"Should we be concerned if he cries every single time he's not being held?" Kate asked.

"No, that's completely normal. At this age, it's best if the infants set the pace. If they want to sleep, let them sleep. If they want to eat, let them. And if he wants to be held all the time, then cuddle him all day long. All babies need is a whole lot of TLC."

"Okay, good, I just wanted to make sure we weren't ruining him," Kate laughed in reply. The doctor shook their hands again, and the nurse came in to administer the shot.

Kate held Henry in her lap as Cindy wiped his thigh clean with an alcohol wipe. Poor Henry had no idea what was coming; he was laughing and smiling at his dad's funny faces. But once Beckett held his leg still, he began to whimper. The nurse expertly stabbed the shot into his leg, and took it out before he could fall apart. But as she withdrew the needle, Henry dissolved into tears. Kate pulled him close to her chest and rubbed his back, but he kept screaming. The nurse went to pat his back, but he cried even harder.

Castle checked them out at the front desk, and Kate walked to the car, bouncing the baby and rocking him back and forth. Finally, he settled down, but of course, the second she placed him in his car seat, he started crying again. She cursed quietly under her breath, and jumped when she felt a hand at her waist. Castle leaned in and took Henry from her arms.

"Hey, Kate, why don't we go straight to the restaurant for lunch? It's not that far of a walk, and we can bring the stroller," Castle said while cradling the tiny baby against his shoulder.

Kate agreed, and grabbed the stroller from the trunk of the car. She loaded up the car seat and diaper bag, and the two of them crossed the street to walk along next to the greenbelt on the other side.

Holding hands, Rick and Kate strolled to the restaurant, stopping every so often to readjust the baby and talk to a random bystander. They reveled in the moment: the cool summer air, their babbling baby boy, the smiles of pedestrians, and the easy conversation, and for the hundredth that day, wondered how they ever got so lucky.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I don't know if it was my best work, so feel free to critique :) As always, favorites, follows, and reviews are much appreciated! I apologize for any errors, in advance.

I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter that I'm starting a new story. I suddenly got an itch to write older Caskett babies, so I'll be writing a fic that takes place about six years after Honey, Let Me Sing You a Song, and includes more Castle children! It's going to be about the Castle's taking an extended vacation, and my question for you is, where should they go? I'm picturing it lasting between two to four weeks, and so far, I've come up with Disney World, a cruise, a beach house, and a ski trip. Does anyone have any ideas? Which setting would you prefer it to take place at? Let me know what you think, and I'll have that story started by the end of the week.

Thanks again for reading, and have an awesome day!


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